SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising its directives for ski areas authorized under the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 (Ski Area Permit Act) (16 U.S.C. 497b) to provide additional guidance for implementing the 2011 amendment to this Act, known as the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act (SAROEA) (Pub. L. 112-46, 125 Stat. 538). Current directives limit the criteria for determining whether additional seasonal and year-round recreation activities may be approved at ski areas to those listed in SAROEA. The final directives add criteria to help authorized officers determine whether proposals for these activities are consistent with SAROEA. The final directives also provide guidance on non-exclusive use at ski areas, that is, recreational use at ski areas, such as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, by the non-paying public.

DATES: Effective Dates: These directives are effective April 17, 2014.

ADDRESSES: These final directives will be available for inspection at the office of the Director, Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources Staff, USDA, Forest Service, 4th Floor Central, Sidney R. Yates Federal Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays. Those wishing to inspect these documents are encouraged to call ahead at 202-205-1227 to facilitate access to the building. Copies of documents in the record may be requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Hartman, Acting National Winter Sports Program Manager, 202-697-1051or via email at chartman01@fs.fed.us. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background and Need for the Final Directives

Most of the 122 ski areas operating on National Forest System (NFS) lands in the United States are authorized under a special use permit issued per the Ski Area Permit Act. As originally enacted, the Ski Area Permit Act authorized Nordic and alpine skiing at ski areas on NFS lands. On November 7, 2011, Congress enacted SAROEA, which amended the Ski Area Permit Act to authorize additional seasonal and year-round recreation activities and associated facilities that may be approved at ski areas. SAROEA contains a non-exhaustive list of additional seasonal and year-round recreation activities and associated facilities that may, if certain criteria are met, be approved and a non-exhaustive list of additional seasonal and year-round recreation activities and associated facilities that may not be approved at ski areas. On August 5, 2013, the Forest Service amended FSM 2340 to incorporate the self-executing portions of SAROEA, that is, the list of additional seasonal and year-round activities and associated facilities that may be authorized at ski areas. Summer uses at ski areas, both on private and NFS lands, have been increasing in recent years. This increase has been driven in part by new technologies and by the growing number of people seeking recreation activities in more managed settings.To read the full notice...http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-04-17/html/2014-08893.htm